Four days after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote a letter to the Election Commission regarding the discrepancies in the voting data, the poll body responded on Friday saying that it “rejects” the allegations.
“Utterances from President of National Political Party attacking the very credibility of the electoral steps and processes can have a negative impact on voter participation and can be seen as a means to deter an elector from exercising their franchise and/or demoralising the huge number of election staff and machinery which is mainly drawn from the respective State Governments,” the EC wrote in its response.
It further added, “The very premise that voter turnout data was released late is devoid of facts as it has always been available on the Voter turnout APP. Commission has not changed the design or periodicity of displaying voter turnout data in any manner. Needless to add that polling station wise data of electors and voters is given to agent of the candidate on the day of poll itself at close of poll.”
The poll body further said, “It is surprising, you have also chosen to make an innuendo that: “Is there an issue with the EVM.” Commission notes that you, yourself, have chosen to indulge in utterances at this critical juncture with similar effect of discrediting election process and therefore, is being forced to find a pattern in such actions. A trend of irresponsible statements attacking or attempting to degrade the credibility of the elections in terms of men and material by a National Political Party is disconcerting.”
Kharge, in a letter to its INDIA allies asked if the delay in releasing data of voting percentage was an attempt to “doctor final results”.
Saying that the credibility of the ECI is at an all-time low, he said, “it is extremely disconcerting to know through various media reports that even the final registered voters list from the Third phase onwards is also not released.”
The Congress president also asked why the ECI did not release the figures for votes polled in each parliamentary constituency and the respective assembly constituencies.